COVID-19 Funding Details

Provide aid to to USVI fishing industry sectors

Grant Award No. NA21NMF4540004 (CARES ACT) Project No. is V8001. The U.S. Department of Commerce/NOAA grant award, NA21INMF450004 in the amount of $993,005.00, was funded in December 2020. DPNR/DFW will be providing $900,000 in direct assistance to participants of the fishing industry. This will be accomplished with the timeframe stipulated by the period of performance. Before the funds could be disbursed, the spending plan was created and approved by each district Fishery Advisory Committee (FAC) (St. Thomas/St. John and St. Croix). The St. Thomas/St. John FAC met Thursday, April 8, 2021, from 6:30pm – 9:30pm where the Director of Fish and Wildlife presented the spending plan for the FAC review and approval. The St. Croix FAC met April 14, 2021, from 6:30pm – 9:30pm to review and approve the spending plan. The plans were reviewed and approved by the FAC and submitted to NOAA for approval. NOAA approved the Fisheries Assistance Plan on Monday, June 7, 2021. The performance period was extended until August 2022 per communications with NOAA. Both CARES Act monies will be distributed through a partnership with the Economic Development Authority via Memorandum of Agreement G039PNRT22 approved on April 27, 2022. The Economic Development Authority has launched the campaign in the marketing and administration of this project. Direct Assistance was the main goal of the original project. Only 37 applications received after over 800 unique ad types and in-person pop-ups and events, including announcements at the annual fisher registration events reaching 200+ fishers representing more than 85% of all fishers in the USVI. Fishers have stated that due to an increase of more than $4 - $6 per pound of fish during the pandemic and their status as essential workers, the fishers did not lose money as anticipated at the time of application. Fishing charters also did well, as our tourism economy boomed based on increased testing and availability of the vaccinations. Tourism to other Caribbean jurisdictions was shut so persons diverted their fishing vacations to the USVI. As a result, to date, DPNR has requested a No-Cost Time Extension (NCTE) seeking another avenue in which to spend the COVID-19 funds. The NCTE is based on each of the 37 applications having none or incomplete documentation of demonstrated losses of 35%. The EDA was able to provide qualified applicants with a total of $80, 041.78 in direct assistance relief funding. The balance of $819, 386.58 was returned to the grant. The grant award was amended to expire 08/31/2023 and to purchase Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for fishers. A Bid Procedure was processed and encumbered in the amount of $735,869.20. The Department of Property and Procurement awarded the Bid, Bid# BD-23-800-8001-224 (S), to Prestige Worldwide USVI, Inc. dba Neptune Fishing Supplies for the Purchase and Delivery of Marine Safety Equipments Kits in the amount of $499,965, a balance difference of $235,904.20 of the encumbrance. The Vendor has been paid and grant is closed with the ending balance of $351,334.23. Note that there is a slight adjustment to the total expenditures leaving a ending balance of $351,319.48.

DPNR/DFW

October 1, 2020

August 31, 2023

$0.99M

$641.69K

$351.32K

Provide aid to to USVI fishing industry sectors

Grant Award No. NA21NMF4540558 (CARES Act) Project No. is V8002.                       The U.S. Department of Commerce/NOAA grant award, NA21NMF450558 in the amount of $2,967,030.00, was approved in September 2021.  DPNR/DFW sought to provide $2,693,759.00 in direct assistance to participants of the fishing industry.   Both CARES Act monies were intended to be distributed through a partnership with the Economic Development Authority via Memorandum of Agreement G039PNRT22 approved on April 27, 2022.   The Economic Development Authority launched a campaign to solicit applications. Only 37 applications received after over 800 unique ad types and in-person pop-ups and events, including announcements at the annual fisher registration events reaching 200+ fishers representing more than 85% of all fishers in the USVI. Fishers have stated that due to an increase of more than $4 - $6 per pound of fish during the pandemic and their status as essential workers, the fishers did not lose money as anticipated at the time of application. Fishing charters also did well, as our tourism economy boomed based on increased testing and availability of the vaccinations. Tourism to other Caribbean jurisdictions was shut so persons diverted their fishing vacations to the USVI.  As a result, DPNR requested a No-Cost Time Extension (NCTE) seeking another avenue in which to spend the COVID-19 funds.  The No-Cost extension was approved to support the renovation of the Frederiksted Fish Market.   DPNR encumbered funding in the amount of $185,275 for the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with VIPA to create a bid-design package for the Frederiksted Fish Market which was received in July 2024.  However, the bid-design solicitation would take longer than two months to advertise, select, and constract, so the construction encumbrance PO # 9276 in the amount of $ 2,494,855.50 was cancelled. It is unfortunate, time did not permit  for the completion of the expansion  project under this grant.  A no-cost time extension was not allowed.  The grant closed as of 08/31/2024.    There is a 90 day liquidation period for any remaining expenses to be paid from the Award. $33,409.85 was pending to be expended during the 90 day period but was not liquidated.

DPNR/DFW

September 1, 2021

August 31, 2024

$2.97M

$440.86K

$2.53M

Justice Assistance Grants - State

Provide resources to fund overtime, equipment (including law enforcement and medical personal protective equipment), hiring, supplies (such as gloves, masks, sanitizer), training, travel expenses (particularly related to the distribution of resources to the most impacted areas), and addressing the medical needs of inmates in state, local, and tribal prisons, jails, and detention centers.

Law Enforcement Planning Commission

January 20, 2020

July 31, 2023

$2.93M

$2.67M

$263.09K

Unemployment Insurance (Base)- UI

Provide benefits to temporarily unemployed through no fault of their own. Benefits cover expenses such as housing, food, clothing, and necessary transportation. No deductions are made from the worker’s wages to finance Unemployment Insurance Benefits. Eligibility for Unemployment Insurance Benefits is based on wages earned not on family financial resources.

Virgin Islands Department of Labor

N/A

Until funds are expended

$59.51M

$59.51M

$0

Dislocated Worker Grants

Funding provided under the CARES Act to the Dislocated Worker Grants for temporary employment & training programs through state & local workforce programs. The DWG funding may be used to assist dislocated workers, workers who were laid-off due to COVID-19, self-employed individuals who are unemployed or underemployed as a result of COVID-19, and long-term unemployed individuals.

Virgin Islands Department of Labor

April 1, 2020

July 31, 2023

$1.50M

$1.12M

$381.68K

Unemployment Insurance- PUA

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program expands unemployment insurance eligibility to self-employed workers, freelancers, independent contractors, and part-time workers impacted by the coronavirus. The program provides up to 39 weeks of benefits and permit states to extend unemployment benefits up to an additional 13 weeks which is available retroactively beginning on or after Jan. 27 to Dec 31, 2020 and calculated based on the weekly benefit amounts provided under a state's unemployment insurance laws.

Virgin Islands Department of Labor

April 1, 2020

June 30, 2022

$27.65M

$27.65M

$0

Unemployment Insurance- PEUC

Extends benefits for an extra 24 weeks after regular unemployment compensation benefits are exhausted. PEUC is available from April 4, 2020 through March 13, 2021

Virgin Islands Department of Labor

April 1, 2020

June 30, 2022

$23.67M

$23.67M

$0

Lost Wages Assistance Program - LWAP

The Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) program is a federal-state unemployment benefit that provided $300 to $400 in weekly compensation to eligible claimants. The LWA program was meant to address unemployment for the period Aug. 1, 2020, to Dec. 27, 2020.

Virgin Islands Department of Labor

August 10, 2020

September 27, 2021

$6.23M

$6.23M

$0

Unemployment Insurance (Supplemental)- FPUC

Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) is an emergency program established by the CARES Act to increase unemployment benefits for Americans who are out of work because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Virgin Islands Department of Labor

April 1, 2020

June 30, 2021

$92.13M

$92.13M

$0

Unemployment Insurance- EB

Extended Benefits are available to workers who have exhausted regular unemployment insurance benefits during periods of high unemployment. Federal benefits available through March 14, 2021.

Virgin Islands Department of Labor

June 1, 2020

May 1, 2021

$2.65M

$2.65M

$0

Fisheries Assistance Funding (NOAA Fisheries) II

Allocated to states, and territories with coastal and marine fishery participants who have been negatively affected by COVID-19

Virgin Islands Department of Planning & Natural Resources

September 2, 2021

August 31, 2024

$2.97M

$469.97K

$2.50M

Fisheries Assistance Funding (NOAA Fisheries) I

To provide COVID-19 aid to USVI fishing industry sectors of licensed and registered commercial and charter fishers and fishing-dependent businesses.

Virgin Islands Department of Planning & Natural Resources

October 1, 2020

August 31, 2023

$0.99M

$55.71K

$0.94M

National Endowment for the Arts-approved strategic plan

Grant Award No. 1863305-61-20 (American Rescue Plan Act) Project No. F80J4 (31008DR4 -DR9). VICA's Board of Directors met on December 20, 2021, and reviewed twenty-two (22) applications for sub-awards. It allocated $50,000 to VICA to support eligible operating expenses associated with administering the program and the remaining $161,800 was awarded to established and eligible organizations. The processing of documents continue to pay out the funds to the eligible organizations. As of March 31, 2022, a total of $201,800.00 was expanded from the grant award including the $50,000.00 to VICA. Eighteen (18) orgarnizations benefited from from this program.

Virgin Islands Department of Planning & Natural Resources

October 1, 2020

September 30, 2022

$211.80K

$211.80K

$0

Institute of Museum and Library Services

Enable libraries and museums to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus to ensure access to information about COVID-19, government actions and community safety messages, telemedicine, job and unemployment resources. The funding will be used to sustain those institutions that are vital to the citizens of the community and continued awareness during a crisis.

Virgin Islands Department of Planning & Natural Resources

April 21, 2020

August 31, 2022

$9.60K

$9.60K

$2

National Endowment for the Arts

To support arts program, services, and activities associated with carrying out the agency's National Endowment for the Arts - approved strategic plan, as well as salaries, administration costs, and related sub granting to the nonprofit arts sector in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Virgin Islands Department of Planning & Natural Resources

October 1, 2019

December 31, 2021

$200.10K

$200.10K

$0